Radiator guard



Sept-15; 1936.

E. R. GRAVES ET AL RADIATOR GUARD Filed Oct. 6, 1934 Patented Sept. 15, 1936 RADIATOR GUARD Earl R. Graves, Riverside, and Stanley 0. Powell,

Chicago, Ill., assignors to International Harvester Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application October 6,

2 Claims.

The invention relates to a guard for protecting the cores of radiators as employed in motor vehicles of all kinds. The guard is especially designed for use on tractors where the radiator meets with unusual mechanical abuse. The function of the guard is primarily two-fold; in one instance, it saves the delicate radiator core from damage when struck by objects in the path of travel of the tractor, such as tree branches and the like, and, in another instance, it keeps out material, such as leaves and insects that might clog the core and interfere with the circulation of air therethrough and thus impair its cooling efficiency.

Guards for this purpose now generally in use embody a frame carrying a wire mesh screen constructed with separate reinforcement bars. Such structure is too costly and heavy.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a simplified guard for the purposes stated. Another object is to provide a guard eliminating the usual wire screen and substituting therefor a sheet of sheet metal formed with holes and shaped to provide beaded strengthening ribs at spaced intervals therealong.

Other objects will be apparent to those versed in this art as the disclosure is more fully made.

Briefly, such objects may be attained by providing a rectangular piece of sheet metal of the requisite size and pressing the same to form spaced vertical reinforcing beads or rib-s. The portion of the sheet metal plate between these ribs is provided with closely arranged openings punched therefrom to permit air to circulate freely therethrough. Frame pieces are then welded to the edges of the plate, said frame pieces being detachably secured to the radiator shell for mounting the guard.

In the drawing showing a practicable example of the improved radiator guard,

Figure l is a front elevational view of the guard mounted on a radiator;

Figure 2 is an end elevational View of the radiator and guard;

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail end elevational view of the radiator and guard with a part in section, as taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; and,

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional View of the guard per se, taken along the. line 4-4 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

The improved guard presently tobe described is applied toa radiator shell embodying a top header 5, a bottom header 6, and side frame parts 1, all of conventional form. The cooling core 1934, Serial No. 747,166

(01. 293-54) I i U requiring protection is shown at 8. The front face of said core 8 is exposed in the rectangular space formed by the headers 5, E, and sides I.

The guard for said core comprises a rectangular sheet of steel and is numbered 9, the same being of the proper size to cover the radiator shell opening. The side edges of said sheet of steel are bent back, as at H), to strengthen the marginal side edges. At spaced intervals, the sheet has pressed therefrom ribs I l in beaded or channel form, as appears in Figure 4. These ribs are preferably arranged in parallelism and serve to strengthen the guard against shocks and impacts met in service. Between these ribs II the sheet is made foraminous by punching closely arranged holes I2 therein. Thus the sheet itself serves as the screen and it is formed in one piece with the reinforcement ribs II.

By means of spot welds indicated at l3, angle bar attaching pieces [4 are respectively secured to the top and bottom edges of the plate 9, said pieces l4 being laterally disposed and having ends projected beyond the side edges of the plate 9, as shown in Figure 1. These projected ends are secured by cap screws IE to the radiator shell sides 1, as shown, suitable bosses l6 being provided to make a rigid mounting in properly spaced relation from the radiator shell.

As the screen plate 9 and ribs II are in one piece, a sturdy, simplified guard results, which in an effective manner can withstand vibration and abuse. Further, because the attaching bars M are welded to the screen plate, the whole guard structure acts effectively in conducting heat from the radiator shell and serves to dissipate it, thus aiding the cooling action.

As the structure described eliminates the usual wire screen and a complete frame, it is capable of production at considerable reduction in cost.

By merely removing the four cap screws IS, the entire guard may be easily and quickly detached from the radiator shell for cleaning. Just as easily the guard may be restored to position on the radiator.

This radiator screen guard is non-vibrating because its strengthening ribs II are at spaced intervals and parallel with the vertical rows of holes l2. Further, these holes l2 are aligned with the core openings in the radiator to insure eflicient air circulation and proper cooling. Further, leaves and trash are easily wiped from the screen when it gets clogged.

It is the intention to cover all changes and modifications of the illustrative form described and shown which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A radiator guard comprising a substantially rectangular flat integral sheet of metal having spaced, continuous, vertical, parallel, imperforate ribs pressed therefrom extending from the front face thereof, said sheet having holes formed therein between said ribs, cross angle bars secured to the upper and lower edges of the sheet 'with one flange of the bars arranged vertically against the front face of the sheet whereby the horizontal flanges of the bars extend rearwardly to span the upper and lower edges of the sheet to space the sheet from the radiator to which it is attached, said bars having ends extending laterally of the sheet and adapted for securement to the shell of the radiator, the ribs pressed from the sheet extending substantially the full height of the sheet and terminating at their upper and lower ends short of the upper and lower edges of the sheet and closely adjacent the respective inner edges of the vertical flanges of the cross angle bars.

2. A radiator guard comprising a substantially rectangular flat integral sheet of metal having spaced, continuous, vertical, parallel, imperforate ribs pressed therefrom extending from the front face thereof, said ribs stopping at their ends short of the upper and. lower edges of the sheet to leave flat surface portions across the width of the sheet, said sheet being perforated between the ribs, and cross bars respectively placed flatly at the upper and lower edges of the sheet off end relative to said ribs and against said flat surface portions, said bars being secured to said sheet and having ends overhanging the side edges of the sheet and adapted for connection to a radiator shell.

EARL R. GRAVES. STANLEY C. POWELL. 

